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Smart materials and metaphors to enhance technology adoption among older adults ; Smart materials and metaphors to enhance technology adoption
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Abstract:
This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London ; Technological innovation is increasingly contributing to the development of smart objects, meant as semi-autonomous devices augmented by sensing, processing and network capabilities that facilitate older adults being independent and in control of a healthy lifestyle. Given the lessened familiarity that the ageing population has with internet-based technologies, a ‘digital divide’ among generations is often observed. This research is premised on the basis that design interventions can develop intuitive and understandable smart objects minimising age-related differences and promote a greater technology adoption. The aim of this thesis is to investigate how the understandability of smart objects for the ageing population could be supported through the application, at the product design level, of Smart Materials (SMs), a category of engineered materials whose properties can be designed to both stimulate human sensorial abilities and to develop engaging experiences. In line with such research enquiry, SMs are adopted in this thesis for their ability to embody ‘analogies’ and ‘metaphors’ into product designs and systematically stimulate the prior knowledge and memories of older adults to facilitate their understanding of new concepts, following the principle of ‘familiarity’. Analogies and metaphors, powerful learning tools for written, verbal and visual communication, have been recently investigated as ‘non-linguistic’ tools, when physically embedded into product designs, to facilitate the users’ understanding how technology works. How non-linguistic metaphors help to cope with age-related differences is still incomplete. In order to demonstrate that embodied SMs can minimise differences in the understandability of technologies across generations, a qualitative and exploratory study was conducted; empirical evidence was collected through four techniques to accomplish the following objectives: 1. identify critical areas that affect older adults’ everyday life and that smart objects should cope with; 2. define a set of embodied Smart Materials to be included into the prototype of a Smart Radio, a novel communicative device specifically design for the ageing population; 3. evaluate the prototype of the Smart Radio, where age-related similarities and differences in the interpretation are made explicit. 62 participants (n=31 under-60-year-old and n=31 over-60-year-old participants) evaluated the developed Smart Radio, the main evaluation study conducted in this thesis, using four different families of SMs. Findings reveal that embodied SMs considerably help mitigate age-related differences in the understanding of smart objects; this in return may increase the chance of technology adoption among ageing users. The embodiment of Smart Materials that enable metaphorical processing shows promising improvements on the older adult’s ability to reaffirm their own subjective awareness, hence control, of the world around them along with opportunities for a human-centred technology development. ; L.T.M. Light Touch Matters (NMP.2012.4.0-1)
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Keyword:
Digital divide; Inclusive design; Intuitive and familiar interfaces; Technology and ageing population
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URL: http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/15209
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| 2 |
Mobile Technology Use Across Age Groups in Patients Eligible for Cardiac Rehabilitation: Survey Study
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| 3 |
Digital Equity in Libraries: Understanding the Problem Solving Skills of Adults
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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Advancing Digital Skills for Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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Examining Digital Problem Solving Skills in Libraries to Promote Digital Equity
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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From Digital Literacies to Digital Problem Solving: Expanding Technology-rich Learning Opportunities for Adults
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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| 9 |
Examining Adult Learners’ Digital Problem Solving in Libraries Using A Learning Typology
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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| 10 |
Teaching for Digital Equity: Examining Digital Problem Solving in a Public Library
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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| 11 |
Research Into Action: Skills Assessment and Training to Support a Digital Equity Action Plan
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In: Presentations and Publications (2017)
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